Arkansas Senate Weighs Approval Of Medicaid Bill

The Arkansas Senate is set to vote on a plan to use federal Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for low-income people.

Backers were still rallying support for the measure late Wednesday morning and the Senate was expected to consider it when they reconvene at 1:30 p.m.

Senate President Michael Lamoureux says he expects the measure to narrowly pass with the three-fourths majority needed.

Wednesday's vote would be the final passage for the plan, but the bill's sponsor says he's considering amending the enabling legislation setting up the program as part of the negotiations.

The plan calls for Arkansas to accept money intended for Medicaid expansion under the federal health care law and instead use it to subsidize private insurance for the 250,000 eligible low-income residents.